Last night, late, I was watching it snow
It always goes sideways in the city
It comes right out from the street lights, you know
Pumped out by an engine deep inside the earth's core
It goes sideways in the city

Cover the shapes and erase the date
This could be any evening in any place
The blizzard blows from left to right
Which is funny 'cause the piano's playing "Summertime", from 1935
So sounds the alarm of ragtime
It's ragtime keeping time

Brave to the waves of its residue
Its laughter from a marbled room
The white-crowned sounds of possible
The sound that lures me
It says, "Don't you hurry
Don't you worry, kid, we'll be seeing you
We'll see you when you're ready."

Ragtime turning out the sun and moon
Its gravity is soothing
It winds me in a sleep cocoon
I'll reveal myself when I'm ready
I'll reveal myself invincible soon
I am one and the same
I am useful and strange
I am one and the same
I am useful and strange
I am one and the same
I am useful and strange
I am one and the same
I am useful and strange

There's a wisdom that's woe
And a woe that's madness
There's a wisdom that's woe
And a woe that's madness
There's a wisdom that's woe
And a woe that's madness
There's a wisdom that's woe
(I am one and the same)
And a woe that's madness
(I am useful and strange)

I am one and the same
I am useful and strange
I am one and the same
I am useful and strange
(There's a wisdom that's woe)
I am one and the same
I am useful and strange
I am one and the same